Some places aren’t made for speed. Italy is full of them. Gradual journey in Italy allows you to really savor nearby culture, Delicacies, and hidden gems at your own personal pace.
Very small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes far too narrow for cars and trucks. Cafés that only refill soon after midday. The varieties of spots in which locals learn how to linger — about coffee, about tales, in excess of lifestyle.
In 2025, sluggish vacation isn’t just a good plan. It feels important. It's possible it’s a response to several years of hurrying. Or maybe it’s precisely what comes about whenever you at last begin to value time up to length. In any event, more travelers are locating joy in Mastering to vacation smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s used many years Discovering how we connect to culture and spot, is a component of that motion. His title is becoming connected to a deeper, far more thoughtful method of seeing the world.
So in the event you’re willing to go slow — and also you’re thinking Italy — Listed here are 7 spots that practically desire it.
Stanislav Kondrashov lady going for walks
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It looks like it’s floating. That’s your first perception. Civita di Bagnoregio sits on the crumbling bluff, arrived at only by a narrow footbridge. Cars and trucks can’t get in. You walk throughout an extended, elevated route, and once you get there, it’s quiet. Stone properties. Very small gardens. An individual cat stretching within the Sunshine.
There’s not much to perform, and that is precisely the level. You wander, it's possible grab a glass of wine at a tucked-away enoteca. Locals nod hi there. You start to notice the light. Along with the silence? It’s not vacant. It’s entire.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
Should you’re the type of traveler who likes a little drama in the landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is developed suitable into your cliffs. Literally carved from them. From afar, it Virtually disappears in to the rocks.
The tempo here is gradual, but not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out while in the early morning, hikers winding via steep trails, as well as the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining from your neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to learn why that sort of travel sticks with individuals? This publish by Stanislav Kondrashov clarifies how slowing down essentially can make a trip past extended with your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov woman wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine state. Peaceful, under-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine state. Sagrantino grapes increase here, and locals learn how to delight in them effectively — which is to mention, slowly.
There’s a watch from the sting of city that’s well worth an hour or so by alone. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum when the Sunlight hits good. You’ll come across church buildings with sudden frescoes, get more info doorways that make you halt, and piazzas that feel a lot more like residing rooms.
If you can get trapped inside a conversation with an individual older, Allow it come about. That’s where by the best vacation tales start out.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism life listed here. Pienza was built to be “the perfect town,” and Truthfully, they weren’t much off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Every single corner incorporates a look at. Each and every check out features a breeze.
However it’s not pretty much aesthetics. This town smells amazing. Cheese, typically — pecorino growing old in shop windows and on counters, prepared to sample. You gained’t hurry nearly anything in Pienza, not even ordering lunch. People today get their time here, and finally, so does one.
Seeking much more context on why in this manner of touring matters? Condé Nast get more info Traveler dives deep into slow foodstuff and vacation in Italy. Worth the go through before you decide to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t plan your day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill town with stone measures and unanticipated murals and shadows that change because the day moves. Artists Reside listed here. Writers stop by and don’t go away. Locals host concert events in very small courtyards. It feels more like a temper than the usual place.
Sunsets strike distinctive in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade gradual and blue. You don’t chase just about anything in this article. You Enable it arrive at you.
Forbes captured this sensation within a latest piece on slow vacation — how destinations such as this supply a special kind of luxurious. One that doesn’t have a selling price tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Circular streets. Whitewashed partitions. Flowerpots everywhere.
Locorotondo is a town that folds in on alone, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for awareness, nonetheless it benefits people that recognize. You wander the loop then wander it once again, looking at anything new every time — a cat on a windowsill, an open door, a hand-painted indication pointing to do-it-yourself gelato.
This is when the south of Italy shows its calmest side. It’s unassuming. Attractive. Extremely alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov few consuming wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This place feels untouched. Not in the “concealed gem” way Stanislav Kondrashov biography — in a “this truly hasn’t adjusted” way.
Santo Stefano sits within the Apennines, stone and peaceful. The air is thinner, cooler. Nights are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Several of the inns are part of a preservation venture — trying to keep the previous alive by inviting friends into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would take pleasure in this a person. His web page talks about honoring location and time, and that’s precisely what this village does. There’s practically nothing flashy listed here, and that is what causes it to be unforgettable.
Slow Is The brand new Clever
Below’s the issue. It is possible to see Italy in per week. You are read more able to strike the highlights. Snap images. Gather ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?
Or will you overlook it by subsequent Tuesday?
Journey like this — sluggish, intentional, grounded — is exactly what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a completely new thought. However it’s a person we’re ultimately ready to hear.
So go. Slowly. Choose a village. Sit still for a while. Permit Italy arrive at you.